Dreams really do come true
by BethIsMyName
Summary: Rose works backstage with the lights in a theatre, she's the best in the business but after being rejected by her mentor, her love for her job fades and she dreams of becoming a ballet dancer on the stage. She's given the chance and takes it, leaving Dimitri and her home town behind. What happens when 5 years later, now a famous dancer, her company goes back to her home?
1. Chapter 1

**This is my new story, I just felt like writing it! Italics are flashbacks!**

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><p>My fingers zoomed across the buttons as I manipulated the lights on the stage below me into a cold summer evening. The graceful girl pirouetted out seemingly effortlessly and she spun, again and again and again. Dimitri sat down beside me and smiled as he placed the steaming tea on the desk beside me. I smiled quickly back before turning back the board in front of me.<p>

Confused?

Well, I guess you could say I work backstage for a theatre, except with the lights. I can do anything. Barren desert? Easy. Winter Wonderland? Done. Deserted village? Easy as pie. I was _the_ best in the business, or so I was told. I created things no one ever dreamed of, only with simple lights and switches I could transform the bleakest of stages into the most beautiful of gardens. Dimitri was my ex-mentor, now partner, although I had surpassed him skill wise long ago. I was 20, he was 26.

I enjoyed it, I really did. I mean, it had gotten… less interesting for me I guess you could say, after Dimitri rejected my kiss. Now, we were just friends. I didn't have the heart for it any more. What he didn't know, what no one knew (well apart from my best friend Lissa, but more on that later) was my secret passion for dance, Ballet in particular. Yes, as sad as it is, I wanted to be on the stage, not watching it from my booth in the back.

Lissa had been helping me train, a keen ballet dancer herself. She was in the company renting the theatre at the moment. They swung by every year or so and Lissa joined last time they were in this small little town I call 'home'.

Lissa fluttered onto the stage, twirling and spinning to the centre. I flicked a few switches and moved the main light so the rest of the stage was dark, but the small bulb of bright light trained onto her. She froze centre stage and then her boyfriend, Christian, crept onto stage behind her in the darkness. He grabbed her waist and held her in the air in a perfect stance. I slowly, one by one, lit the other lights so they were in a beautiful shower of petals as they continued to weave around one another in a ballet retelling of 'Romeo and Juliet'.

At the end Lissa tragically thrust the 'knife' into her chest and spun around, and was caught by a male dancer dressed in black. He held her up, making it look like she was floating upwards, the same happening to Christian beside her. The curtain lowered and screams and cheers erupted from the audience. I smiled and sat back, pleased with my work for today. Dimitri grinned from his seat beside me as Lissa and Christian ran back onto the stage, waving and smiling at the audience.

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><p>"Night Dimitri!" I said cheerfully as I shut off the lights after everyone had left.<p>

"Good Night Rose." He walked out and I waited until I was sure everyone had gone before flicking a spotlight onto the centre stage and setting up the timer of different effects I had perfected over that past few weeks. I ran down to the stage.

I stood in the spotlight, basked in light and unable to see the seats. I imagined a crowd, waiting with bated breath and lowered my head while I got into the perfect stance.

I slowly raised my head and put my hands together at my belly button, my elbows pointing out to either side of the stage.

_"This is the first position" Lissa had said. "Keep your heels tight together and legs straight… that's it!"_

I moved my feet further out and raised my arms up.

_"This is second position, arms straight. As simple as that. The tricky bit is the transaction into third position."_

Just as Lissa had taught me all those months ago, I crossed my right foot in front of the other so they were side by side and curved on arm in.

_"Yes! You've got it!" Lissa had cheered, "Now, forth!"_

I raised the curved arm up, and then moved into fifth position by making the other join it. I lifted my leg and spun, almost as many times as the ballet girl from earlier, but just as gracefully. I came to a stop and the beginnings of my effects started up. Another spotlight, this one a pale blue, flared up and I did a magnificent jeté into it, each time a different colour appeared and I would leap towards it as the last one disappeared behind me, my legs in a perfect straight line. I jumped towards the last light in the sequence, this one a bright pink and when I landed I was surprised to feel a set of warm hands land on my waist. They lifted me up as a rainbow assortment of colours exploded from the back wall, flooding across the stage we were standing on, They spun me and I determinedly kept my form, refusing to look down to see who the stranger was below me.

_"That's it Rose!" Lissa had said as Christian held me up, "And now extend your arms…"_

I extended my arms out in front of me and was slowly set down on the ground. The colour show continued behind us and the mysterious hands spun me so I was facing the stranger. He was tall, taller than me, but I couldn't distinguish his face in this light. I danced away, following the splash of green that had moved across the stage, jumping and spinning as I went. I felt light footsteps behind me and leaped backwards, landing in their arms as we danced together.

The colours all swirled around us on the floor and zoomed in towards our feet and disappeared when they hit the space where we stood, frozen as the music stopped. He stood back and I took in his face with a shock.

"So little ballerina, how would you like to join my company?" Adrian Ivashkov asked with a cheeky grin plastered on his face.

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><p><strong>I hope y'all like my teaser of this story! Depending on the amount of reviews I get, I'll continue it! Review what you thought, what I could improve and well… anything really!<strong>


	2. Chapter 2

**Thanks to the 13 reviews I got! Yay! I love you guys, you're the best! PLEASE GO ON MY PROFILE AND DO THE POLL!**

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><p>"<em>This button here, the yellow one- Rose? ROSE?"<em>

"_Huh? Oh, Sorry!" I replied sheepishly. I'd gotten side tracked, but I wasn't going to tell him that. Times like these, he was so strict, insisting I learn, but sometimes, he showed his other self. That was the side of him I fell in love with. It wasn't just his appearance, it was everything. The way the strands of hair tucked behind his ear would frame his face, the way his eyes shone when he talked about something he was passionate about, the way his smile would light up the roo-_

"_ROSE! Pay attention!"_

I smiled at the memory. They were back in the days when I was still just a apprentice, Dimitri still just my mentor.

'Dear Dimitri' I wrote.

'That first day I saw you, sitting in that booth behind the switch board, I felt a pull. I thought it was the profession, that I had a natural skill for electronics and lighting. I got that last bit right, but only recently have realised that it's not the profession I was drawn too, it was you.

Ever since the rejection-'

"_Rose, I'm serious, you have to concentrate. This is important, if you really want to pursue this, you have to pay more attention – what got you so distracted anyway?"_

"_You." I answered immediately. I blushed and looked away. "I-I mean…"_

"_What? No, there's nothing… no…" he stammered. I looked up at him... the way his mouth would curve when he was confused… Sexy would be the best way to describe it._

_I leant in and pressed my mouth against his. As if by reflex, his hands were on my waist and his mouth was moving in sync with mine – well they were, until he pulled away._

"_No." he had said firmly._

"_Huh?" I had replied dumbly._

"_No. I don't feel about you like that… I'm sorry Rose." He sounded like he was convincing himself, rather than me – he kind of added the 'Rose' on as an afterthought._

"_But we… connect in a way like no others I've ever seen!" I protested. "I was so sure… after all those times I caught you looking and-"_

"_I'm sorry Rose." And that was all he said. I worked hard from then on, learning and inventing, becoming the best in the business, but my heart just wasn't in it any more. It was with Dimitri._

'ever since the rejection I've lost interest. I would watch Lissa and the other ballerinas every day and they looked to beautiful, so graceful so… perfect. Everything I wasn't to you. So I started training to become one with the help of Lissa and Christian.

I guess what I'm saying Dimitri is that I still love you, I always will. You have my heart and I can't get it back. But I've been offered a job, the same company Lissa works at, I'm going to pursue my dream, and hopefully this one will come true.

Goodbye Dimitri. I will remember you, always.' I wrote all my feelings to him and now I was leaving. All he would have to remember me by in a tear stained letter – not that he would care anyway- I was just a student in his eyes.

I left it in our- his little booth and ran out. I jogged home and opened the door to my house.

Running upstairs, I grabbed my discarded suitcase and packed anything and everything. My phone began chiming and I picked it up breathlessly,

"Hello?"

"CONGRADULATIONS!" Lissa squealed.

"I guess you heard." I said dryly.

"Yup! I'm so excited!"

"Mmm, me too."

"Rose?"

"Yeah?" I sighed.

"Are you okay? I mean, I guess you _would_ be leaving Dimitri, who's like the love of your life and all. We'll be back in a few years anyway! Plus I have no reason to come back here now that you're coming with us!"

"Thanks Liss, you're a great friend."

"Night Rose." She said with a smile in her voice.

"Night Liss."

"NIGHT ROSIE!" I heard Christian scream before the line went dead.

I fell asleep instantly.

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><p><span>DPOV<span>

I can't believe she left.

She poured her heart out to me, telling me she loved me, and then, she left. Her only goodbye scrawled on a piece of paper. I never got to tell her I loved her – that was the part that upset me the most. I never got to explain how hard it was to pull away from that kiss we'd shared so long ago. I never got to explain why I pulled away, what we shared that day… it was breaking the law. I was her mentor! I shouldn't be feeling those things about her!

But I succumbed to her cute little grin. How adorable she was when she couldn't figure something out, or when she was embarrassed. I melted into her eyes, the ones like pools of melting chocolate – how is it possible to mix so many shades of brown into one I didn't know, and the tint of gold that only showed when she looked at me.

All those times I imagined her in that skimpy little cowgirl outfit from halloween, was just a memory, I would never see her like that again. Her long, deep dark luscious locks pulled into two little plaits, framing her face, outlining her perfect bone structure. How could anyone be so… so amazing?

I missed her. Ever since we kissed, she'd been… different to say the least. Not subdued, she was her normal self but more… dedicated to her work, more eager to learn. Before she would just stare at me, not really listening. I always wondered what she was thinking in those moments.

I never got the chance to ask. I never got the chance to tell her my feelings. I would never again be able to see the pout she did when she didn't get her way, I couldn't resist the way her bottom lip would tremble slightly and her eyes would bore into mine, the gold streaks glistening in the light… I loved her, what can I say? She meant everything, _was_ everything to me, and now she's gone.

Then I found a video. I'd been looking through CCTV footage of the stage from _that night_ when I came across something wonderful.

Rose.

She was standing, bathed in light, centre stage. Everything was dark apart from her little spotlight. Everything was quiet, was so still. Then the music started.

_Happiness hit her like a train on a track_

_Coming towards her stuck still no turning back_

_She hid around corners and she hid under beds_

_She killed it with kisses and from it she fled_

_With every bubble she sank with her drink_

_And washed it away down the kitchen sink_

She started dancing, right on cue to the music. It was slow, it was graceful, it was beautiful. Just like her.

Suddenly, she jumped right as the chorus started, the music becoming faster and faster as she twirled around the stage.

_The dog days are over  
>The dog days are done<br>The horses are coming  
>So you better run<em>

She leaped, from colour to colour, perfectly and oh so beautifully, all perfectly timed.

Suddenly, someone came out from nowhere. With a growl, I recognised Adrian Ivashkov as the culprit.

_Run fast for your mother, run fast for your father_

_Run for your children, for your sisters and brothers_

_Leave all your love and your longing behind_

_You can't carry it with you if you want to survive_

They danced a rainbow exploding behind them. They looked so right together. It was amazing, they were so suited to one another.

As the music slowed down, all the colours across the stage swirled towards their feet and disappeared when they hit them at centre stage, right where she'd been standing at the beginning.

"How would you like to join my company?" was all I heard before turning it off.

So, I turned to the only thing I had left, my job. I worked out new things, new techniques – ones even Rose hadn't done before. I found out ways of creating new scenes, new colours, new textures – only known to me.

Over the next 5 years I transformed the way people looked at the theatre, the one I'd been currently working at was remodelled, fitting a larger audience, more and more people came to see my shows. I became more than _just_ the lighting specialist; I was the director and choreographer for many hit performances.

One day, a fateful 5 years later, I got a call. A call from none other than Adrian Ivashkov asking if I was free to do a modern sequence with his dance troupe. I said Yes immediately.

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><p><span>RPOV<span>

Ever since I'd left I hadn't felt myself. It was like I'm not whole without _him_, even if it's just friends-only.

I was reading a magazine with Lissa, gushing over the hot guys (much to Christian's annoyance) and gossiping about the celebrities like we knew them personally – well, some of them we _did_ but more on that later.

Lissa opened to the big interview of the week, on the cover it read 'up and coming star – exclusive interview inside!' we were curious to find out who it was.

And who was it? You may ask.

None other than Dimitri Belikov himself and wow, did he look gorgeous. Lissa looked at me nervously, anticipating a bad reaction from me – I gave her none and instead proceeded to read the article instead.

'_Dimitri Belikov, a star in the making, Director, Choreographer and – surprise surprise – Lighting Specialist!_

_He is the God of Theatre, modernising it to the extreme, making the small stage in his small town famous, crowds of people flocking there every night._

_And we got an exclusive interview with the God himself._

"_What made you want to go into Theatre?" we asked, eagerly awaiting tall tales of his childhood._

"_Well, that's a hard one!" He'd said, a grin spreading across his face, "You see, I grew up, surrounded by sisters and they were addicted to movie stars and who the hottest actor of the moment was, and I always had this... this... passion for acting but they really put it into perspective for me – the fact that no one goes to see live-action theatre anymore, and it made me feel sad. It was my dream to re-invent what people saw in acting, not just people prancing around on the stage, the real thing. I watched the old theatre close down and raised enough money to buy it and bring it back into business."_

I skimmed down a bit, the rest was all questions about how he raised the money and so forth - all things I knew already. Then one question in particular caught my eye.

"_So, how's the love life?" he blushed and looked away._

"_Ah, that's a touchy subject for me." _

"_Well you _have_ to tell us now!"_

"_I fell in love with this amazing girl, 6 ½ years ago but she was just too young, we kissed once but I was forced to reject her. She left shortly after."_

"_That's so sad! Surely you've patched it up by now? I mean, who could resist you?" we pressed._

"_Well she left, 5 years ago, and I was doubtful I'd ever see her again – then I heard she was coming back home" his face turned wistful as he stared into space, presumably daydreaming of his 'true love'_

_We thanked him for his time and he left, the dazed smile still plastered across his face, only one question left lingering in our minds,_

_Who is this lost love?'_

It was followed by a series of photos of the man himself, looking suave and, well, amazing in his fashionable outfit. Nothing in the interview surprised me, I'd known all of it already. Well, apart from the fact that-

"OH MY GOD ROSE!" Lissa squealed, finishing the article, "HE LOVES YOU! YOU HAVE TO TAKE HIM BACK!"

"Liss, we don't know he was talking about me!" she raised a perfectly manicured eyebrow.

"We don't huh? Left 5 years ago? Known him for a year and a half previously? Kissed him _once_ but was rejected? Hmmm… who does that remind me of?" she asked sarcastically.

"Ah, you're forgetting one important detail,"I added, "I'm not going back home anytime soon, and in the interview he specifically said-" Lissa looked at me sheepishly, "Oh Hell." I muttered.

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><p><strong>Hey Hey Hey!<strong>

**Okay then, so I hoped you like the update, and pretty pretty please GO ON MY PROFILE AND DO THE POLL!**

**Also, Review and tell me what you think!**


	3. Chapter 3

RPOV

My life, well my new one, had been amazing. I saw Lissa every day, got to annoy Christian – even Adrian grew on me! I was pretty happy, that was until I read the god-damned stupid article and all the emotions came flooding back. Sure I'd kept a small place in my heart for Dimitri but my job came first. Now, the memories and feelings and emotions I once felt for him – and still do – resurfaced and my life turned upside down. Again.

We were on our way to the theatre, _Dimitri's _theatre. I was excited, confused, scared, worried and lost inside my own mind, add a dash of love and long-lost-feelings and we could make a messed-up stew. Ugh! My life was so complicated.

"ROSE!"

"What do you want Liss?" I asked tiredly. Ever since finding out the news, I wasn't sleeping very well.

"How are you feeling?" she asked, sitting down beside me.

"Liss, I'm confused, feeling terrible and, right now, would love to get Dimitri out of my head."

"Dimka?" Tasha asked nosily, joining in our conversation and sitting down beside us.

"We were just talking about him." I said, "Why don't you join us?" I added sarcastically. Unfortunately, she doesn't get sarcasm.

"I've missed him so much!" she gushed, "And plus…" she paused, "I've had a massive crush on him since forever and I think, in the article, he was talking about me!" she whispered excitedly.

"You guys kissed?" I asked, surprised.

"Well… no not exactly," She admitted, "but he was probably trying to cover up that it was me by making stuff up." Lissa rolled her eyes,

"Well, I'm pretty sure that it was about someone else." Lissa remarked, giving me a look.

"No, it was me." Tasha repeated.

"Are you sure? I know someone who fits the description much better." Lissa argued.

"Yeah? Like who?"

"Rose." Lissa said.

"Pfft! Like he would ever love someone like _you_. You guy are just imagining it, besides, I don't care what you think anyway!" Tasha said jealously.

"Honey, we don't _think_ he loves Rose, we _know_ he loves Rose." Lissa said smugly. Tasha growled at us before standing up angrily,

"I'll show you guys!" she muttered before storming off. Lissa and I looked at each other before bursting into fits of giggles.

"This is gonna be fun!" I said, gasping for a breath.

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><p><span>DPOV<span>

I'll be honest, sure, my life had gone smoothly after Rose left me – I mean after she left – but there was always something… missing. I don't know what, sure I hadn't had a girlfriend for…. I don't know how long, I'm not a one night stand kinda guy either. I could get any girl I want. I was rich, good looking (well, that's what I'm told) but didn't have feelings towards any of the girls who threw themselves at me. Unfortunately, deep down, I knew what I needed.

Rose.

What can I say? I was in love with her, but she probably wasn't in love with me. I'd rejected her! I made a stupid move on my part. Love is so complicated that sometimes people don't understand. You only appreciate something fully after you lose it. I loved Rose, and, as she had kissed me while she was a student, couldn't tell her my full feelings. And after that, never had the guts to bring it up in conversation. How I wished I had…

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><p><span>RPOV<span>

We walked towards the theatre. By 'we' I mean the entire dance group. Lissa, Christian, Adrian, Tasha, and everyone else in front of me. I was… happy to be able to see Dimitri, but scared at the same time. What if Lissa was wrong? What if Tasha was right the entire time? Thinking of them together… it brought back bad memories.

_"ROSE! You have to learn this! It's important!" Dimitri repeated._

_"Yeah, yeah, I get it." I replied._

_"Do you?" He raised an eyebrow, "Show me." I turned away and started at the buttons and switches and controls in front of me. Shit – what the fuck was I meant to do?_

_"Umm…" I started. Dimitri said… yellow first, right? Acting on instinct, I flicked it. Down below on the stage a spotlight lit up. I grinned proudly. What next? Dimitri wanted a sunset effect… I think. My hands flew along the toggles, hoping that, by chance, I would flick the right one. I saw something that looked red… that would work… probably. I pressed it. It was blue. Shit._

_Pretending I knew what I was doing, I repeated the cycle, running my hands across the board until something felt… right. There! This one made orange leaves drift across the stage – autumn sunset it was._

_"There you go!" I said proudly._

_"Wow!" Dimitri whispered. I looked to where he was staring, to see a beautiful sunset scene. The background was a meadow where horse silhouettes galloped. Leaves floated down around the stage and… it looked spectacular. I thanked my lucky stars that I made something so random look… well, look gorgeous._

_3__rd__ Person POV (still flashback)_

_Rose stared, awestruck, at the magical scene she created, purely by chance and instinct._

_"Beautiful." Dimitri whispered. _

_"Yeah… it is." Rose replied softly. She hadn't noticed how he was not mesmerised by her creation, but by her. The orangey sunset colours reflected onto her face, bathing her in sunlight. To say she looked beautiful? That was an understatement._

_The ballet group walked onto the stage, surrounded by colour and they completed the spectacular picture Rose made. She smiled down at them – even Adrian - who gazed at her with love. She didn't notice. Dimitri did though. He squirmed uncomfortably in his seat. Adrian smirked at him – he knew Dimitri's feelings and respected him in ways no one could begin to understand. Not many people could resist Rose, but, however hard he wanted to kiss her, h would pull back._

_Rose turned her attention to Dimitri; a smile grew on her face, one he replicated. Slowly, everyone cleared off the stage until just Tasha remained. She smiled up at the pair. Rose didn't miss the look in her eyes – she felt the same way every time she looked at Dimitri after all._

_Angrily, she cut off the lights and the stage faded into dark. Moments later, Tasha appeared in the doorway._

_"That was beautiful Dimka!" she giggled flirtatiously. Rose rolled her eyes as Tasha attempted to saunter 'sexily' towards Dimitri. Her attempts were pathetic to say the least._

_"That wasn't me-" Dimitri started before he was cut off by Tasha sitting on his lap (not so much as sitting… more like straddling). She leant into kiss him, and subconsciously Dimitri lent away. There wasn't that much space for him to move back and so, unfortunately for Rose, they would kiss – eventually._

_"AHEM!" Rose 'coughed'. Scowling, Tasha untangled herself and stalked off. Dimitri flashed Rose a embarrassed (and thankful) smile before continuing with her lesson._

RPOV

I smiled dreamily. I missed him. So, so much.

I looked up, startled. We'd arrived. Adrian walked purposefully towards the big revolving doors and pushed through. We followed him in. I gasped. St. Vladimir's theatre had never been dingy but it hadn't been the richest, wealthiest theatre in the world either. Boy, had Dimitri changed all that. I twirled around, shocked at the magnificence of the building. Adrian draped him arm loosly aroung my shoulders.

"Kinda different, huh?" he asked.

"Yeah." I agreed

"I hope you and the cradle robber get together you know." He whispered suddenly, "I mean, the sexual tension radiating off you is gonna be horrific enough, but you guys are meant for each other, y'know?" he said.

"I'm sorry, what?" I asked.

"Don't worry, I have a plan for you two." He said with a grin. I opened my mouth to respond when I was interrupted by the most beautiful sound I'd heard in a while.

"You've arrived!" I swivelled around, only to have my heart almost stop beating. Dimitri.

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><p><span>DPOV<span>

I looked through the information Adrian had emailed me, with explicit details on what he wanted where and so on. He wanted me to completely re-choreograph the Nutcracker but with more up-to-date dancing. It was going to be hard. The Nutcracker was – and still is – a classic. This could make or break, not only Adrian's career, but mine too.

I ran through some moves in my head. I tried to mix ballet and modern dance – I wasn't sure how it would look but hopefully all would go well at the first practice tomorrow. Adrian had adapted it, creating not only a dance production, but a play. There was a script and everything. I read the 'cast list' as it were. I cursed inwardly. Tasha was in it – I'd forgotten she was coming. My eyes widened as I saw Rose's name – right next to Clara – the main character. I noticed the role of the nutcracker hadn't been filled in – I made a mental note to ask Adrian about it later.

I wrote down the list of compositions Adrian had decided to keep. Wow, he really had made this his own! He had cut some of the pieces out, and shortened others – this was going to be something to remember.

I sighed. Sure, in theory it looked good, but modern dance to shortened classical pieces? Adrian better be sure about this.

I checked my watch – I'd better go check everything before they got here. I walked downstairs towards the lighting room but stopped when I heard voices coming from the lobby. They were early. I peeked in - Lissa was in Christians arms and they were staring, awestruck, at the remodelling of the building. Tasha was looking around impatiently – for whom I wasn't sure. I flicked my gaze over everyone else until my eyes settled on Rose.

She looked radiant, curvaceous and sexy.

"You've arrived!" I said, coming out of my hiding place. Rose's head turned towards me. I noticed Adrian's arm for the first time. It was draped around her shoulders. I suppressed a growl and looked away quickly.

"DIMKA!" I was barrelled into by Tasha.

"Tasha." I said without enthusiasm. I'm pretty sure I saw Lissa smirk.

"So Dimka… who were you talking about in the article?" She asked, pressing her body up against mine. I cleared my throat awkwardly and stepped away from her.

"It's a secret." I replied stiffly.

"Awe, c'mon! I'm good at keeping secrets." She said eagerly with a wink. I opened my mouth to say _no you're not_ but changed my mind halfway through.

"Well, if I told you here, it wouldn't be much of a secret, would it?" I pointed out, gesturing to everyone else.

"DIMKAA!" Tasha complained loudly, clinging to my arm. I untangled myself and looked away.

Right into the most beautiful eyes I'd ever seen.

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><p><strong>HEYO! Please review! <strong>

**What do you want to happen?**

**Do you want a Dimitri X Rose jealousy thing?**

**Why do you think the place for the main lead was blank?**


	4. Chapter 4

**Most of you guys said jealousy, but I'll try to take everyone's ideas into account XD**

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><p><span>RPOV<span>

When our eyes connected, the world stopped. Well, that's what it felt like anyway. Life moved on around us, but my eyes were fixated on him. I was snapped back into reality by Lissa, who stood in front of me.

"Rose." She whispered through gritted teeth, "_He _left _you_ and God help me, you're not crawling back."

I nodded numbly before following everyone through towards the stage. Dimitri stood in the middle and had everyone gather around.

"Okay, who are the leading roles?"

"I'm Clara." I said, stepping into the middle of the circle.

"And the nutcracker?" Dimitri asked.

"Slight technical difficulty there." Adrian spoke up.

"Yes?" Dimitri asked tiredly.

"We don't exactly have one." Adrian said awkwardly.

"Adrian, do you know how hard it is to get someone in at this short notice?" Dimitri asked, pinching the bridge of his nose.

"Yup! And that's why I have a plan!" Adrian said proudly.

"This better be good." Dimitri mumbled quietly, but only I heard. I stifled a laugh. Adrian narrowed his eyes at us,

"I was thinking that you could play it?" he asked hopefully.

"I'm the choreographer."

"And what better way to teach the moves, than play the part?"

"Yeah… no."

"C'mon! You're my last chance!"

"I don't dance."

"It's not that hard."

"Have you ever _tried_ ballet?"

"Yeah."

"Then why don't you do it?"

Adrian paused for a moment.

"Why can't you?" he asked finally.

"I don't do ballet." he repeated.

"Rose can teach you. You're a choreographer, you practically know it already."

This time it was Dimitri's turn to pause.

"I'll think about it." he said finally. The tension in the air dispersed as he started ordering everyone around the outskirts of the stage. "Guys I know you've had a long day travelling, so all we're doing today is giving me a feel of what you can do so I can incorporate it into the production."

"I'd love to show him all _I_ can do." Tasha whispered.

"I'm not sure he wants to know." I replied.

"Who wants to go first?" Dimitri asked.

"I will Dimka!" Tasha said 'sexily'. It sounded more like a whine.

"Ok... Tasha first." He said reluctantly. He walked to a big speaker and switched a song on at random.

She strutted over-confidently into the centre. She started off with a simple pirouette, enough to look good to a beginner, but simple for any professional. She did a few leaps, an arabesque followed by a brisé then finished with plié. Simple.

"Good." Dimitri said, but his face said it was anything but. "Who's next?" his eyes travelled along the line before resting on me, "Rose, as our lead, why don't you have a go?"

I smiled back at him before giving Tasha a 'told you so' look and walking to where she started from.

"Just ballet or anything?" I asked.

"Just show me what you've got."

I listened to the song playing before deciding. I started simply with a fouette, and after spinning (loads more times than Tasha – not that I tried or anything) went smoothly into a jeté passé before twirling into a mixture of modern dance and ballet. I sunk into the music and went where my body told me. I ducked backwards before righting myself and doing a cartwheel across the stage. I paused for a moment, judging the distance before doing a back-walkover across the middle of the stage, over and over again until I reached the opposite end. I finished with a back hand spring into centre stage, breathless.

I wasn't the best dancer in the troupe by a long way, but I _was_ good at it. I wasn't as good at ballet as Lissa. Or as good at alternative dance as Christian, and nowhere near as good at break dancing as Adrian (Surprising, I know, but that boy had some moves). I was good at all of them, but amazing in none. But I _was_ better in all of them than Tasha, and that's what mattered to me.

"wow." Dimitri breathed. I smiled in response and walked back to my place beside Tasha, ignoring the daggers she was sending my way.

"Who next?" Dimitri asked. After he'd evaluated everyone Dimitri announced we could leave.

We left, and headed towards the local hotel we were staying in.

"You totally showed Tasha." Lissa giggled excitedly.

"Ugh, she was being so unbearable, I had to!" I replied happily.

I fell asleep instantly; after all, tomorrow was a big day.

* * *

><p>The next day, everyone met at the theatre at 9.<p>

"Okay, Adrian is going to show you the basic first steps to learn today." Dimitri said upon us entering the theatre. He grimaced, "And Rose will teach me how to dance."

"Do you need my help as well Dimka?" Tasha asked, pressing her body up against his. If she was hoping for a reaction, there was none. Dimitri gently pushed her away,

"I think I'll be fine."

Tasha scowled as we walked off to one of the practice rooms.

"So… What do you want to learn?" I asked conversationally.

"I just need to know the dances, nothing more."

"We'll start with the basics then." I decided. "Stretches."

An hour later, I'd shown Dimitri all kinds of stretches. Calves, chest, thighs, back, torso, neck and ankles. When were done with that, I taught him the 5 basic positions.

"Okay, this is 5th position." I showed him how to do it. "Now, do all of them."

I stood by the door, and watched him practice. Adrian sneaked in (he'd changed into sweats and a baggy t-shirt which suited him remarkably well) and stood beside me.

"Cradle Snatcher's doing good." He whispered. I bit back a laugh,

"It's difficult to get him to do anything harder as I can't exactly show him a couple's dance when he only knows this much." I replied.

"Why don't we show him?" Adrian murmured.

"Why not?" I agreed.

"Oooh… someone's not happy." Adrian grinned. I looked up to see the reflection of Dimitri glaring in pour direction. "I think now would be the perfect time to show him how to dance." Adrian sent me a wink before grabbing my hand and pulling me towards Dimitri.

"Dimitri, Adrian and I are going to do an example of one of the dances in the production so you can see what it's like." I told him. He nodded and walked to the side of the room. Adrian hit play on the dock in the corner. A remixed version of one of the Nutcracker pieces played through the room.

It was mainly the classical version but there were a few places where it became more upbeat and modern.

It started with Adrian and me running to opposite ends of the room, before twirling around in a big swirl before we met in the middle. I jumped into Adrian's arms. He lifted me up so that I was above his head. I held my pose before he brought me down and I did a flip out of his arms, right as the music changed.

Adrian grabbed my hands and pulled me so I slid between his legs and did a roll back onto my feet. It was Adrian's turn, and while I stood still, he danced around me, performing flips and finishing off with a pike. He grabbed my hands again and swung me around so that I build up enough momentum to cartwheel before the music changed back into classical.

Adrian's moves calmed in time to the music and, as it began to quieten, we slowed down until we stopped.

"Now, I'm going to try and teach you that." I told Dimitri.

"Rose, I'm a beginner – it would take me weeks to learn that!"

"We haven't _got_ weeks." I reminded him, "Besides, it's one of the shorter ones. You've seen it, now put it into practice. I just want you to show me what you've remembered. We'll try without music first."

Adrian smiled at me as he walked out of the room to go help out with everyone else.

Dimitri walked over to the other end of the room, before attempting the dance. He spun round (not as gracefully as Adrian, but at least he remembered) and stopped in the middle.

"I'll do the lift another time, I'll get Lissa and Christian to help." I informed him, before running over to help him with the rest of the dance.

Overall, he didn't do too badly. He remembered lots of it, and was a quick learner so I was sure he'd learn it in time.

We walked back to where everyone else was, laughing and joking. Tasha gave me a look as we got there. I wasn't sure what it meant, but I wasn't going to ask.

"I think that's enough for today." Dimitri said tiredly, but there was a smile on his face.

"Rose?" Tasha called as I was leaving the building.

"Yeah?"

"Can we talk?"

Nodding, I followed her into a local café, where we ordered and sat down in a corner.

"It's about you and Dimka." She said, holding her cup to keep her hands warm. "I was watching you guys – the way you interacted – and I just want you to know that I give up."

"What do you mean?"

"Look Rose, I know that he loves you, he always has - even when you were his lighting assistant. I know that the interview was about you but I just couldn't bring myself to admit it out loud. You make him happy, and that's all I want for him."

"I-I don't know what to say!" I replied, shocked at what she's just told me.

"You guys deserve each other. Just don't ruin it."

"Thank you Tasha, I hope we can be friends." I said, leaning across the table to give her a hug.

* * *

><p><strong>Hey! I'm hoping to update more once I've finished my other story, Sophomore year and life it just beginning. Please answer these questions in your review – you might be surprised XD<strong>

**What do you think of this chapter?**

**Do you guys like it?**

**What do you want to happen?**

**What do you think of Tasha?**

**What do you think of Romitri?**

**What do you think of the professional sounding dancing names that I totally know the meaning of and didn't just put them in the story at random?**

**One last thing, check out the story ****A Guardian's Lineage** **by** **Zeraphime ****. It's amazing but isn't very well known in the Fanfiction world – try it out!**

**Let's try to hit (at least) 40 reviews? Maybe 45? The more reviews, the more I'll update XP**


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